Securing members for self-supporting structural building units



d. 15, 11935. G. F. KOTRBATY SECURING MEMBERS FOR SELF SUPPORTING STRUCTURAL BUILDING UNITS Filed Nov. 17, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR 60 f/fa/ra/jz/ ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1935. F T BAT Y 2,017,441

SECURING MEMBERS FOR SELF SUPPORTING STRUCTURAL BUILDING UNITS ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 15, 1935 I smasher Delaware Application-November 17,1933. No. 698.433

, A comma. (one-'41s) This inventionrelates. to building construction and more particularly to improved meme bers for use with structural members.

This invention is-inpart a continuation of my application-Serial No. 368,226, filed June 4, 1929, I for Securing members-for building construction units, and ,allowed October .18, 1933, which" said application is a division of 'my applicationgserial No. 295,705, filed July 27, 1928, for Building construction now -'matured into U. 8.- Patent No.

1,877,898, issued September 20, 1932. Thisapplication is also in part a continuation :of my application Serial No. 509,237, filed January 16,

1931, for Building construction, vember 3, 1933.

The specific details of my improvements having been set forth in the application" above reand allowed No- "ferred to, they will be presented-here solely forthe purpose of establishing the cooperative relationship between the several features, in--order to more clearly illustrate thepatentable novelty of the several parts in their specific structures and in their combinations as previously set forth.

The examples shownare given merely by way of example, for since the underlying principles may be incorporated inother specific structures, it is not intended to-limit the constructions to the forms shown, except as such limitations are clearly imposed by the appended claims.

In the drawings like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of which Figs. 1, 2, 3, '1, and 9 are cross-sections of improved non-circularkey members;

Figs. 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 arebroken horizontal sections of abutting grid members having, keyways and key members fitted thereto, certain of the keyways being shown integral with the side walls of the grid units, and certain others of-said keyways being shown secured to the side walls of the grid units by a variety of fastening means;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of abutt ed-and joined walls showing the association and locking of wallgrid units by means of keysas illustrated in Figs.

- '1 to 10, and showing a preferred mode of 855G111? bly, together with insulating fillings, surface coatings and-associated serviee mains; and v Fig. 12 is an elevation, partly in broken-section, of a key member'in position between-abutted grid ends. Y 5

larly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9, the key members comprise spaced, expansible web portions 20 and end portion 2|, either flanged or not, as desired. The edges of the sheets from which these. members are rolled orotherwise suitably formed, are

tion shown at Figs.

the-flange portions The ke'yway 60 is provided with integral flange portions 6| which may be-apertured,.as'indicated at 82, the section 6| being bentto form. said side Referring to the drawings. and more particu- I flange. portions which may be continuous with 50 spaced, as indicated at 18, to form gaps which provide a desired springiness to the contact-ions. These endsmay be hanged, as indisawd at 24. If desired, the flanges 24 maybe welded. brazed, riveted or otherwise secured together to secure 5 .added stiffness in 'the key member.. It is to be J noted-that these members correspond generally in structural strength to solid members of like configuration, in addition having a desirable spring-gripping effect which is not characteristic n or mild members. This new construction thus provides a maximum of strength, as well as permitting the securing of a distinct saving in metal as well as marked economies in fabrication.

In use the novel key members of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, l5

\ deslgnated'hereafter as I00, 200 and 300 for the .sake of convenience, are fitted into appropriate 'keyways orkey members in construction units or grids l0, as'will appear more in detail hereinafter.

, 20 In Figs. '1 and 9 there are shown key members 100 and 900, respectively, comprising the'usual web portions 20, the construction in Fig. 7 showing arcuate end portions 40, one of the ends being provided with a gap 4| and stiffening flanges 25 42 permitting the spring grip. In the construc- 9 and 10, the web portions 20 terminate in integral angular end portions 50, one of the ends being provided with the space or gap 5| formed by the flanged edges 52 'of the sheet from which the member is rolled. It will v be apparent that the particular configuration of the novel key members as herein shown and-as shown in my applications above identified, may

be varied within wide limits without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and without destroying the structural efliciency thereof, as composite stud, stanchion, column, beam or other supporting members.

Referring-now to Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 10, grid units 40 designated generally by the numeral 30 are joined by thev various keys in a manner now'about to be described.

' n Fig. 4 a' grid to is provided with akeyway 80 adapted to conform to and to be engaged by 22- of the key members Hill.

v adapted. to crimp or otherwise secure the side 1 panels 64 in a desired position.

-Instead of 'crimp- 65 ing, the panels 64 may be secured to the flanges 65 by welding, brazing, soldering, or by means of rivets or wire ties, bolts, nuts or other mechanical means, all as indicated generally by the numeral 5 66. Side panels 64 may be directly'secured to the straight flange ends 63 of the several key members in the-usual manner, and by .welding,

brazing or soldering, all, as noted above,.indicated by the numeral 66. The grids shown in-Fig. 5 10. may be provided with special grid ends secured to the side panels in any desired manner, as indicated above, the said flange ends forming in effect flange keys 10, adapted to co-act with the keyways formed in the key members 200'. These members may be provided with apertures 62 permitting a desired reduction in weight of the section without impairingthe structural efficiency of the combination and providing means for a plastic bonding and keying. The several keys and associated keyways, whether formed integrally with the grids as ends thereof, or whether formed separately in any desired configuration and later secured to the side panels in any of the ways described above, form composite structural members adapted to serve as studs, stanchions, column members andbeam members. The section or thickness of the metal entering into these constructions may be varied, as

desired, according to the loads to be imposed on the members and whether they are to serve as vertical supporting members or as beam or floor supports.

' Referring now to Fig. 11, there is shown a construction more particularly described in my allowed application Serial No. 509,237 for Building construction, now Patent 1,968,045 of July 31, 1934,

in which the grids are'keyed together by the different types of keys, as indicated. Certain of the grids are shown filled for insulating purposes, and

the like, with insulating material such as mineral adapted to completely flll the interior grid spaces,

or the materials may be used in bulk form filling the grids whollyor in part, as maybe desired,

, or they may be made into slabs, blankets or sheets 50 designated, generally by the numeral 6, adapted to flt into the sides of the, grids, and of such a length as to be'keyed between the said sides of the adjacent keyway. While mineral insulations have been described, it will, of course, be under- 55 stood that any suitable vegetable insulant materials, such as sugar cane refuse, com-stalk refuse, or other such materials may be made use of, these materials being known in commerce as bagasse,

celotex and insulite. 0 The above construction prevents the transfer of heat, makes the walls sound-proof, eliminates the passage of moisture from the exterior of the house travelor transfer oi. heat through the mass of the T web as such heat transfer is essentially a function of the amount of metal available as a heat-conducting path. Such .a feature increases the insulatlnl eifect between the panels 04 of the several grid members. The usual service pipe and connections I01 maybe disposed inside of the grids- It will now be appreciated that there has been provided improved key members for self-support- 5 ing structural building members, which key memv bers are characterized by a variety of forms and high structural fefilclency when combined with abutted stanchion or stud members or beam members to form composite structural members which 10 may be readily inserted in place to lock abutted building units in place and to form with the said units, permanent structural members having the maximum of crushing and bending strength yet being characterized by a minimum of weight and 15 a desirably high resistance to the passage or transfer of heat therethrough.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood 20 that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operating may be made by those skilled in the art or without departing-from the spirit of the invention. v

' What is claimed is:

1. In composite structural stud members including end sections of self-supporting building units having key-receiving sections formed in the end sections, the improvementscomprising key- 80 ing members in and joining abutted end sections ofadjacent building units and in spring-gripping contact with the key-receiving sections and conformed thereto, the keying members including sheet metal forms having head sections of gener- 35 ally parallel, spaced walls joined and spaced by web sectionslikewise having spaced walls, the said headsections having edge flange portions sever ally bent inwardly of the keying members and towards each other, and one of the head sections to including a continuous longitudinal slot in the ea'rternal wall thereof. I

2. Sheet metal keying members for composite structural supporting members, including spaced head sections, each section comprising straight sides terminating in flanged edges inturned to-' wards each. other; a web member joining the head sections an substantially in the central longitudinal axis'of the inner segments of the head sections; the said head sections and intermediate web sections severally comprising spaced, parallel sheet sections and one of the head sections having a longitudinal slit in the external face thereof. 1

'3. Sheet metal keying members for composite structuralsupporting members, including spaced "head sections, each comprising flanged sides inturned towards each other: a web member join ing the head sections and-substantially in the central longitudinahaxis of the inner segments of the head sections; the said head sections and intermediate web sections severally comprising spaced, parallel sheet sections, and one of the head sections having a longitudinal slit in the external face thereof. 4, Sheet metal keying members for composite structural supporting members, including spaced head sections, each comprising flanged sides in-' turned towards each other; a web member joining the he'adsections and substantially in the'central longitudinal axis of the inner segments of the head sections; the said head sections and intermediate web section severally comprising spaced, parallel sheet sections, and one of 'the head sections-having a longitudinal slit in the external face thereof, the slit having inturned stiffening flanges at the edges thereof..

5. Sheet metal keying members for composite structural supporting members, including a pair of spaced head. sections, each comprising flanged sides of generally arcuate configuration inturned towards each other; a web member joining the head sections and substantially in the central longitudinal axis of the inner segments 0! the head sections; the said head sections and intermediate web section severally comprising Spaced, parallel sheet sections; and one oi the head sections having a longitudinal slit in the, external face thereof.

6. Sheet metal keying members for composite structural supporting members,-including a pair of spaced head sections, each comprising flanged.

sides. of generally arcuate configuration intumed towards each other; a web member joining the head sections and substantially in the central longitudinal axis of the inner segments of the head sections; the said head sections and intermediate web section severally comprising spaced, parallel sheet sections; and one of the head sections having a longitudinal slit in the external face thereof, the slit having flanges at the edges thereof.

inturncd stifi',

. 3 '1. Sheet metal keying members for composite structural supporting members, including a pair of spaced head sections, each section comprising flanged sides of generally angular configuration inturned towards. each other; a web member joining the head sections and substantially in the central longitudinalaxis or the inner segments oi-the head sections; the said head sections and intermediate vweb section severally comprising spaced, parallel sheet sections, and one of the head sections having a longitudinal slit in the external face thereof.

8. Sheet metal keying structural members, including a pair oi spaced head sections, each section comprising flanged sides of generally angular configuration inturned towards each other; a web member joining the head sections and substantially in the, central longitudinal axis of the inner segments of the head sections; the said head sections and inter mediate web section severally comprising spaced, parallel sheet sections, and one of the head sections havingga longitudinal slit in the external face thereof, the slit having inturned stiiiening' flanges at the edges thereof.

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members for composite 

